Interview: Boots on the ground

Cast your minds back to June 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic, war in Europe and economic peril. When Boots Opticians managing director James Arrow joined the company that month, he immersed himself in all things Boots Opticians and familiarised himself with every facet of the business in preparation for a steep learning curve and what he describes as his 90-day plan.

By January 2020, that learning curve was beginning to soften, but we all know what happened next. ‘Within six weeks, we were closing stores and thinking about keeping colleagues and customers safe,’ says Arrow. On something of a war footing, the company had to make several tough decisions about store closures and restructuring, but Arrow says Boots Opticians is on much more solid foundations as a result. ‘We faced the challenges head-on, together as a team. Supporting each other and working safely. I strongly believe we’ve come out stronger the other end,’ he says confidently.